It’s been years of Spotify teasing us harder than Taylor Swift teases surprise tracks, but it’s finally happening. At long last, Spotify is giving its Premium users something worth scream-singing about: lossless audio. Yes, fellow audiophiles. We have arrived.
For those of you wondering wtf lossless audio is, here’s your primer. Lossless audio means the music files don’t compress away the sound quality. Think of it as the difference between getting the special edition vinyl of your favorite album and streaming the same album from, say, a janky speaker running on a potato battery your niece built from that STEM kit you gave her two years ago.
Those of us who’ve been using Spotify for music streaming for a minute now know the platform is a twitch late to its own party. This development was first teased to us, the faithful Spotify users, back in 2017. In 2021, we were promised it was “coming later this year.” By 2024, it was “almost ready,” but finally… we’re getting it in 2025. Spotify has given a hard timeframe this time, announcing it’ll be rolling out over the next two months in select markets — the United States included. Lucky me!
Do you want to know my favorite part about this? There’s no new price tag. Spotify Premium users get lossless for $free.99. There’s no upsell required. No “HiFi” tier, no “Music Pro” option, and no paying an additional $3/month for an “exclusive sound experience.” All we have here is a major streaming platform giving its users more without immediately demanding an annual blood bargain or your firstborn. Considering some of us are currently budgeting for five limited-edition vinyl colors and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) deluxe remasters, I’m here for the savings.
If you’re wondering how to turn it on without making your eyes cross, I’ve already looked into it. When it’s available, update your Spotify app first, or you’ll be SOL. Next, go to Settings → Media Quality, and from there, toggle on “Lossless.” If you’re already using Spotify, you should get an in-app notification when it’s ready for you. Currently, compatible audio devices include Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser, with Sonos and Amazon devices next on the docket. Fair warning: if your headphones cost less than one of the mid-range bougie candles at Target, you’re probably not going to notice a difference.
As with all good things lately, there is a catch. Spotify caps lossless at 24-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC. Direct competitors like Apple Music, Tidal, and Qobuz hit 24-bit / 192 kHz. Yes, Apple’s technically better, but unless your speaker setup isn’t three $3 Bluetooth speakers in a trench coat, you’ll be fine. Spotify is finally playing catch-up, but no one expected them to magically be top dog in this pile. On the bright side, at least they’re not YouTube. I found a video explaining why YouTube Music is the only major player without lossless… but it’s still buffering, so I’ll have to report back once I can finally watch the thing.
It’s been a long eight years of promises and heartbreak, but Spotify has finally come through. Lossless is real. It’s here, it’s free, and it’ll be available on your preferred gadget soon. Charge up your headphones and get ready to join me in listening to Folklore the way Taylor intended — hearing every sigh, string pluck, and Easter egg in stunning, high-fidelity detail.
